BSc Nursing 3rd Year Nursing Research And Statistics Chapter 5 Research Problem Question And Answers

Research Problem

Question 1. Define the Research Problem.
Answer: 

Research Problem Define:

1. A research problem is defined as a situation for which we have no ready and successful response by instinct or by previously acquired habit. We must find out what to do. i.e., the solution can be found out only after an investigation
2. A problem is an interrogative sentence or statement that asks what relation exists between two or more variables. The answers to questions will provide what is being sought in the research.
3. According to Marilynn J. Wood: the research problem is the full exposition of the idea that you want to study.

Read And Learn More: BSc Nursing 3rd Year Nursing Research And Statistics Previous year Question And Answers 

Question 2. Factors Involve in Selecting the Research Problem
Answer:

1. A research problem is defined as a situation for which we have no ready and successful response by instinct or by previously acquired habit. We must find out what to do. i.e., the solution can be found out only after an investigation
2.  According to Marilynn J. Wood: the research problem is the full exposition of the idea that you want to study.

Interest

• Interest should be the most important consideration in selecting a research problem. A research endeavor is usually time-consuming and involves hard work and possibly unforeseen problems.

Magnitude

• The researcher should have sufficient knowledge about the research process to be able to visualize the work involved in completing the proposed study.
• Narrow the topic down to something manageable, specific, and clear. It is extremely important to select a topic that the research can manage within the time and resources.

Measurement of subjects:

• If the research uses concepts, make sure that the concepts are clear about their indicators and their measurements.
• If the researcher plans to measure the effectiveness of early ambulation after surgery, he must be clear as to what determines effectiveness and how it will be measured.

Level of expertise:

• The researcher should make sure that he has an adequate level of expertise for the task proposed.
• Allow for the fact that the researcher will learn during the study and may receive help from the research supervisors and others.

Relevance:

• Select a topic that is of relevance to the researcher as a professional. Ensure that the research study adds to the existing body of knowledge, bridges current gaps, or is useful in policy formation.

Availability of data:

• If the research topic entails the collection of information from secondary sources (office records, client records, census, or other already-published reports, etc.) before finalizing the topic make sure that these data are available and in the format the researcher wants.

Ethical issues:

• Another important consideration in formatting a research problem is the ethical issues involved. In the course of conducting a research study, the study population may be adversely affected by some of the questions (directly or indirectly) deprived of an intervention, and expected to share sensitive and private information.
• How ethical issues can affect the study population and how ethical problems can be overcome should be thoroughly examined at the problem formulation stage.

Question 3. Define variables and Explain types of variables
Answer:

Variables Definition:

• A variable is a concept or abstract idea that can be described in measurable terms. In research, this term refers to the measurable characteristics, qualities, traits, or attributes of a particular individual, object, or situation being studied.
• Variables are properties or characteristics of some event, object, or person that can take on different values or amounts.
• Variables are things that we measure, control, or manipulate in research. They differ in many respects, most notably in the role they are given in our research and in the type of measures that can be applied to them.

1. The independent variable:

• Is that phenomenon in the hypothesis that, in the experimental study to test, the hypothesis, is not manipulated by the investigator?
• It is also called the cause, stimulus, experimental variable, or treatment, the variable that is manipulated by the researcher, in order to study the effect upon the dependent variable.

2. The dependent variable:

• Is that phenomenon in the hypothesis that, in the experimental study, to test the hypothesis, is not manipulated, but is accepted as € Disease it occurs?
• It is also called the effect, the response, the criterion measure; behavior, or outcome that is researcher wishes to predict, study, or explain.

1. Extraneous variables:

• Are all variables in a hypothesis testing investigation that are not dependent variable jar criterion measures of the dependent variables
• That means all those variables present in the research environment especially in research involving human subjects may interfere with the research findings, by acting as unwanted independent variables and confusing the results of the research.

4. Intervening variables:

• They intervene between cause and effect. It is difficult to observe, as they are related to individual feelings such as boredom, fatigue excitement At times some of these variables cannot be controlled or measured but have an important effect on the result of the study as it intervene between cause and effect.
• Though difficult, it has to be controlled through appropriate design. E.g. “Effect of immediate reinforcement on learning the parts of speech”.

5. The accounted for variables :

• Are those variables about which, observations are gathered during the study for the sake of additional information they will provide, but which actually are not needed in relation to testing the hypothesis

6. Controlled for variables:

• Are those extraneous variables that are apt to affect the dependent variable in a manner similar to the dependent variable in a manner similar to the effect of the independent variable?

7. Confounding variables:

• Are extraneous variables that influence the dependent variables in the same way the independent variable influences them?
• These are those who would class confounding variables as those of program concern, after the independent and dependent variables.
• It will be noted, however, that, if variables that are apt to confound the findings are controlled for, there will be no confounding variables.
• Their confounding influence will have to be precluded from occurring. When speaking of relationships between variables, the researcher is essentially asking Is X related to Y? What is the effect of X on Y? How are X1 and X2 related to Y? The researcher asks a question about the relationship between one or more independent variables and dependent variables.

Question 4. Enlist the Sources of Problem Statements.
Answer:

Previous Research:

• The critical appraisal of research studies that appear in journals may indirectly suggest problem areas by stimulating the reader’s thinking.
• The organized body of nursing knowledge contains information about previous research.
• The investigator may have read something that did not make sense or work as predicted.
• A nurse may have read a variety of studies and wonder which findings are most valid. For example, studies related to cost-effectiveness.

Popular Conceptions:

• While taking care of health, certain traditional practices have been practiced according to their cultural belief or certain old practices of the new world.
• To test these practices, the researcher may get an idea for conducting a study.
• These researchers challenged a popular belief and found evidence that contraindicated the belief. Numerous beliefs guide nursing practice, and they need to be examined through research.

Empirical Interest:

• The sudden insight, which may arise from seeing things in a different way, is another source of research problems.
• Sudden awareness of something that has not been noticed before is another source of nursing research. (Curiosity about everyday clinical practice is a rich source for nursing research).

Practical Needs:

• Clinical practice provides a wealth of experience from which research problems can be derived. The nurse may observe the occurrence of a particular event or pattern and become curious about why it occurs as well as its relationships to other factors, in the client/patient environment.
• For example, OPD patients on treatment getting severe depend (may be due to anxiety). In a clinical area, a nurse may find an ideal answer to any question that may be a practical need for nursing and may be a source for research problems.

Political Concerns:

• The political climate, which places emphasis on constraining healthcare costs, the cause and effect of treatment of diseases improving the standards of health, and implementation of vertical health programs, has provided many avenues for research.

Priorities:

• There are so many problems emerging in providing health care services to reach the preserved people.
• Various groups, within nursing, have identified priorities for nursing research that if followed could result in the creation of knowledge that nurses need to care for future generations. The list of priorities can serve as a source of research problems for the nurse investigator.
• Priorities for nursing research also have been set for some nursing specialty areas, e.g.
• Nursing Service, Nursing Administration, Nursing Education, Medical-surgical Nursing, Pediatric Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing, Community Health Nursing etc.

Interested in Untested Theory:

• Verification of an untested nursing theory provides a relatively uncharted territory from which research problems can be derived. In as much as theories themselves are not tested, a researcher

The interest of Professional Organization:

• Researchable problems also are generated by professional organization priorities and quality, improvement issues.
• An example, of such an organization will include the Trained Nurses Association Govt. Nurses Association of Karnataka and others.

Question 5. Sources of Research Problem.
Answer:

• The common sources from which a researcher may find ideas to identify and formulate a research problem include

Personal experiences:

• The day-to-day personal experience of a researcher may serve as a good source of ideas to formulate a research problem.
• For example, a researcher observed domestic violence suffered by wives of alcoholic husbands. This experience may provide ideas to identify several research problems related to domestic violence against women.
• There may be so many such life experiences of a researcher which could be used to develop a research problem.

Practical experience:

• Nurses get plenty of ideas to formulate research problems from their clinical experiences. Every curious nurse has several questions to be answered that are encountered during the clinical experience.
• For example, a nurse finds that unrestricted visiting hours in surgical wards reduced the analgesic demand among postoperative patients.
• In another instance, a nurse observed that the application of ice at the site of heparin injection reduced the chances of ecchymosis.
• Such clinical experiences could be rich sources of ideas to identify a significant research problem.

Critical appraisal of literature:

• When we critically study books and articles relating to the subject of our interest, including research reports, opinion articles, and summaries of clinical issues, pertinent questions may arise in our minds.
• These may strike the reader’s mind indirectly by stimulating imagination and directly by stating what additional research is needed.
• For example, a nurse reads an article on the prevalence of pin site infection among patients with external fixators.
• While reading this article, she learns that there is a lack of consensus about pin site care. This information may serve as a basis to formulate a research problem.
• Another type of literature that acts as a source of good research ideas is the requests for proposals (RFPs) that are published by government agencies and some companies.
• Typically, the RFPs describe the problems that need addressing, the contexts in which they operate, the approach they would like you to take to investigate and address the problem, and the amount they would be willing to pay for such research.

Previous research:

• A body of knowledge should be developed on a sound foundation of research findings. Usually, at the end of a research, further research problems are suggested, based on the shortcomings of previous research, which can be investigated.
• In the nursing profession, not much research has been yet done; therefore, this profession needs researchers who are willing to replicate or repeat other studies on different samples and settings where all the essential elements of the original study are held intact.
• Further refinements may be made in the experimental treatments, or more appropriate outcome measures may be identified.

Existing theories:

• Research is a process of theory development and theory testing Nurses use many theories from other disciplines in their practices.
• If an existing theory is used in developing a researchable problem, a specific statement from the theory must be isolated.
• Generally, a part or parts of the theory are subjected to testing in the clinical situation. The testing of an existing theory is definitely needed in nursing; therefore, they serve as good sources of research problems.

Consumer feedback:

• Research problems may be generated from the results of activities aimed to solicit patient feedback.
• For example, at the time of discharge of a patient after angiography, a nurse obtained feedback from the patient.
• The patient verbalized that it was a wonderful experience except for the discomfort during the removal of the pressure dressing at the femoral puncture site.
• This feedback provided a concept for nurses to research on efficacy of available alternative means of dressing at the puncture site to minimize the discomfort among patients undergoing angiography.

Performance improvement activities:

• Performance improvement activities, known as quality improvement activities, are used to improve processes and outcomes to meet regulatory requirements.
• In the process of performance activities, several issues in merged that require answers through research.
• Thus performance improvement activity also serve as an important source of research problem.

Social issues:

• Sometimes, topics are suggested by more global contemporary social or political ues of relevance to the healthcare community.
• For example, HIV/AIDS, female sexual harassment, domestic violence, and gender equality in health care and in earth a some of the current social and political issues of concern for healthcare professionals.
• An idea for a study may stem from a familiarity with social concerns or controversial social issues.

Brainstorming:

• Brainstorming sessions are good techniques for finding new questions when an intensified discussion among interested
• people of the profession is conducted to find more ideas to formulate a good research problem.
• For example, ideas for studies may emerge from reviewing research priorities by having brainstorming sessions with other nurses, researchers, or nursing faculty.

Intuition:

• Traditionally, intuitions are considered good sources of knowledge as well as sources to find new research problems.
• It is believed that the reflective mind is a good source of ideas, which may be used to formulate a good research problem.

Folklores:

• Common beliefs could be right or wrong For example, it is generally believed that studying just before the test decreases the score. We believe we should not study before the test to relax our minds.
• Researchers can conduct a research study on whether one should study before the test or not.

Exposure to field situations:

• During held exposure, researchers get a variety of experiences that may provide plenty of ideas to formulate research problems.
• For example, while working in the field, a researcher observed a specific traditional practice for the cure of a decent condition, which can be used as a research problem to investigate its efficacy.
• Consultations with experts Experts are believed to have sound experience in their respective field, which may suggest a significant problem to be studied In addition, expend may help in finding a current problem of discipline to be solved, which may serve as hass for formulation of the research problem.

Question 6. Criteria For Selecting Research Problem?
Answer:

• Criteria for Selecting a Good Research Problem One commonly used acronym to define the criteria for a good research problem or question is FINER, where F stands for feasible, I for interesting, N for novel, E. for ethical, and R for relevant.
• However, there are many factors that should be considered while deciding the credibility of a particular research question for a scientific investigation.

Some of the most essential factors are discussed below:

-Significance to the nursing profession:

• A problem that a researcher is selecting should have significance to the nursing profession or it will not serve any purpose.
• A research problem is significant for the nursing profession when it is directed to develop or refine the body of professional knowledge.
• A research problem could be considered significant for the nursing profession.

if it fulfills the following criteria:

• Benefits nursing profession and patients, nurses, and health care fraternity through the study
• Improves clinical nursing practices through the results.
• Promotes nursing theory development or testing. Provides solutions to current nursing practice needs Generates information to get practical implications for nursing, profession

Original:

• It is fundamentally considered that every research problem should be new and unique in itself.
• Therefore, it is the key responsibility of a researcher that innovative knowledge is used for selecting research problems, so as to extend the growth of the existing body of knowledge in a profession.

Feasibility:

• Feasibility is an essential consideration of any research project.
• Regardless of how significant or researchable a problem may be, the feasibility of the research problem in reference to time, availability of subjects, facilities, equipment, money, and ethical considerations should be checked.
• It will help the researcher to decide whether the selected problem is appropriate or inappropriate and study can be carried out or not.

Time:

• A nurse might be interested in studying sibling relationships among quintuplets Knowledge of the incidence of quintuplet births would certainly discourage anyone from considering research on this particular population unless the researcher plans to make this a lifetime project.
• So, time is always a factor to be considered. It is wise to allow more time than seems to be needed because unexpected delays frequently occur.

Cost: All research projects cost money, some studies are much more expensive than others. The researcher must consider realistically the financial resources available.

Equipment and supplies: All research projects require some type of resources. Therefore, before making the final decision to conduct a study, an accurate determination of the needed equipment and supplies should be ensured.

• Some questions that should be answered before beginning a research project include: What is the equipment that will be needed? Is equipment available and in proper working order?
• Is there a qualified operator of the equipment? Are the necessary supplies available or can they be obtained?
• If the researcher takes into consideration equipment and supplies in the early phases of a research project, there are fewer chances of the project being revised or discarded later because of equipment or supply problems.

Administrative support:

• Many research projects require administrative support. The nurse researcher may find it very difficult to conduct research independently.
• Financial as well as psychological support from the administration is very helpful. Knowing that your superiors support your research efforts can be a very powerful motivating force.

Peer support:

• Many research ideas have never been developed because potential researchers received no support from their peers.
• One of the best ways to determine a researchable is through interactions and discussions with other nurses.
• A climate of shared interest in nursing research is essential among the members of the nursing profession.

Availability of subjects:

• A researcher may believe that study subjects are readily available for the study. But this may not be the case. Potential subjects may not Solicit.
• Research Problem meets the study criteria, may be unwilling to participate, or may already be participating in other studies. Therefore, the availability of subjects must be ensured well in advance.

Researcher’s competence:

• A research problem can only be feasible if it is in accordance with the researcher’s competence, where a researcher is capable of handling a given research problem.

Ethical considerations:

• A researcher must ensure that the research problem can be considered by the ethical committee without undue hurdles.
• A very important topic of research cannot be considered a feasible unit unless it is in accordance with ethical guidelines.

Solvable/Researchable:

• The problem selected is considered good only if it is solvable so the chances of unsolvability of a problem should be minimized. Thus, it will enhance relevant results.
• For example, a researcher selects a research problem to know the existence of God in this universe.
• These sorts of problems are ambiguous and impossible to solve. Therefore, the researcher must ensure that the research problem selected for the study is solvable.

Current:

• A good research problem must be based on the current problems and needs of a profession so that the results generated will be of more use. Furthermore, more professionals will be interested in the research conducted on the current issues of their profession.

Interesting:

• A research problem can only be considered good if it is in accordance with the researcher’s field of interest.
• A research problem must be as per the motivation of the researcher and should be fascinating to the researcher so that research is conducted with full enthusiasm and not merely for its accomplishment.